1. Field
The disclosure relates generally to an improved data processing system and more specifically to authentication in an improved data processing system. Even more specifically, the disclosure relates to a method, computer program product, and apparatus for managing an authentication request.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer systems commonly allow users to access resources that are accessible to the computer system. In some examples, the resources are confidential. It may also be desirable to limit access to these resources to specific users. For example, a computer system may allow users to access personnel records that include confidential information. Confidential information is data that is intended to be known only to an individual and/or parties trusted by the individual. For example, confidential information may be a social security number.
To allow only authorized users to access the confidential information or resources, users are authenticated before being allowed to access the confidential resources. Authentication means that the identity of the user requesting access to confidential information or resources is verified by a computer system. For example, the user may be issued login credentials. Login credentials are a user name and/or password for using the computer system in these illustrative examples. The user prevents other people from accessing the confidential information or resources by keeping the login credentials private. In other words, the user does not allow other users to know the login credentials issued to the user.
A mobile device is a computer system that is configured to be transported with the user and has an assigned telephone number on a telephone network. The mobile device may have fewer components or functions than a computer system that is in the form of a desktop or laptop computer. For example, mobile devices include wireless phones that are configured to communicate on both telephone networks and data networks, such as the Internet. Mobile devices may be configured to connect to an application running on another computer system. The mobile device may use a network, such as an Internet protocol network to connect to the other computer system and access the application.
The mobile device connects to the computer system running the application the user of the mobile device desires to access. The computer system running the application uses login credentials received from the mobile device to verify the identity of the user of the mobile device.